Hero Of Our Time: Solomon Ekuma Dominic Berewa Still Enjoying Life At Retirement Age
Dear value readers,
it pleases TRACE NEWS to introduce our newest column titled Hero of Our
Time. This column will be featuring those that have played or are still playing
their part toward the development of the country. This is one way TRACE NEWS wants to say thank you to some of these people for what they have done and what
they are still doing for the country. It is a column that has no boundary,
color or political differences. This will be a biweekly column. We hope you
will learn about those we will feature and the role the play in the country.
Enjoy
reading!
Today we
will feature Solomon Ekuma Dominic
Berewa aka Solo B.
Solomon Ekuma Dominic Berewa is a Sierra Leoneanand was born on the 6th August 1938 in BumpeChiefdom, Bo District Southern Sierra Leone.
He is a
practicing Christian. He attended the Fourah Bay
College University
of Sierra Leone and the Newcastle University, Newcastle, England where he came out with a Degree in
Law.
Solomon Berewa became
an active politician in 1996 when he became Sierra Leone’sAttorney General and Minister of Justice from 1996 to 1997 under President Ahmed
TejanKabbahwhosegovernment
was ousted in a coup. After Kabbah was restored to power, Berewa was
Attorney-General and Minister of Justice again from 1998 to May 2002. He then
became Vice-President of Sierra Leone from May 2002 to September
2007, preceded by Albert Joe Demby.
At the SLPP's National Convention in Makeni on September 3–4, 2005, Berewa was elected by
the SLPP as its leader and presidential candidate in 2007. He received 291
votes, while Charles Margai received 34, Julius Maada
Bio received
33, and J. B. Daudareceived 28.
Solomon Berewa standing as the candidate of the Sierra
Leone People's Party (SLPP), he was defeated in the second round of
the 2007 presidential election by Ernest
BaiKoroma of
the All
People's Congress (APC).
In the first round of the 2007 presidential election,
held on August 11, Solomon Berewa took second place with 38.3% of the vote,
behind Ernest Koroma, the candidate of the opposition APC, who won 44.3%. A
second round between Solomon Berewa and Ernest Koroma was held on September 8,
and on September 17 Ernest Koroma was declared the winner, with 54.6% of the
vote against 45.4% for Solomon Berewa.
Solomon Berewa promptly conceded defeat,and Ernest Koroma
was sworn in later on the same dayat a ceremony at which Solomon Berewa was
present.
In keeping with the SLPP constitution, which requires
its leader to resign if the party loses a national election under his
leadership, Solomon Berewa resigned as party leader on October 17, 2007.He is currently an ex-officer member of
the Party.
Solomon
Berewa who is now enjoying his retirement in Freetown reflected on some of his
days as active politician. He described governance work as one that is very hectic for him because he was moving
around to end the civil conflict in the country when he was the Antony General
and Minister of Justice.
Solomon
Berewa went on to explain that when he was Vice President he was very busy doing
assignments given to him by the President Ahmed TejanKabba.
He said
people expectation after the end of the war was very high during their time in
office and when the APC government came again the expectation of the people further
escalated.
He said as
government they played their part while the APC government has done theirs but
one thing Solomon Berewa is sure of is that one can
never meet people expectation.
Solomon
Berewawent on to say the thing he
enjoyed doing the most was when he undertook a project which turned out to be
successful. He said when you are the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice you
are your own boss.
“You are the
one man the president can’t control”.
He said SLPP
was far better off than the APC.
“After the
war we try to manage things with the mere resources we have. Things were moving
fine, the economy was doing well.”
He said SLPP
did road construction on a low scale but APC are doing it on a high scale.
“The APC
focus on infrastructure, road and light, that is a huge capital
investment.
Solomon
Berewa pointed out that during their tenure Sierra Leoneans enjoyed free speech, they restored damaged
structures and the laws which they passed were to change, amend or modify.
He spoke
about the setting up of the Office of National Security and the National Social
Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) among others.
“It is
better to have a good policy than a good leader, if you have a good policy it
stays but a good leader come and goes.For instance we didn’t introduce free
health care. Our educational policy compared to the social policy is left to
the public to judge.”
Solomon Ekuma Dominic Berewa is a widower with five children; Annie, Solomon Jr., Edwin,
Augustine, Martin, and Francis. He said he is enjoying what he is doing in his retirement age.
“I find time
to relax and meet with people in and out of Freetown. I eat well.Normally in
Africa when election comes and goes they quarrel with faction that contested. I
have all that I can use to challenge the result but I just let go, just want to
stay quiet.”
The following people succeeded Solomon Berewa
Samuel Sam-Sumana as Vice President under APC leadership
John Oponjo Benjamin Chairman of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP)
Solomon Ekuma Dominic Berewa will always be
remembered for upholding and promoting peace and stability in the country after
the 2007 Presidential Election.
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